Balloon and the like



March 24, 1,925.

. H. F. ANNS BALLOON AND THE LIKE Filed March 14, 1923 FIG- I.

Patented Mar. 24-, 1925.

BALLUON AND THE LIKE.

Application filed March 14, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that HAROLD FALKNER Arms, :1 subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 98 Victoria Street, London. S. England, has invented new and useful Improvements in Balloons and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the provision of means whereby toy and other balloons and the like may be illuminated internally.

According to this invention, a suitable plug, preferably formed of non-conducting material, and adapted to lit the neck or mouthpiece of the balloon, is provided with means for supporting an incandescent lamp or a multiple number of such lamps within the balloon and of conveying an electric current thereto as part of a circuit, the plug being also provided with a suitable valve or the like through which air or gas may be introduced into the balloon.

The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of construction of the invention.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a suitable construction, Fig. 2 being a side elevation 01": the lower part of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a plan of Fig. 2.

Fig. a is a sectional elevation of a modified construction.

Fig. 5 shows a modification of the lamp carrier shown in Fig. 1.

A represents the plug which is adapted to fit and make air-tight connection with the neck or mouthpiece of the balloon B. The plug is preferably made of fibre or other suitable non-conducting material or substance adapted to support two electric contact wires C and D. Preferably the wires C and D are soldered at the lower ends into metal tubes E tightly fitted in the plug, while their upper ends are fashioned, the one C with a coiled part F which serves as a screw socket for the lamp G and the other D with a flattened or close-coiled part H which serves as the central contact for the lamp. The two wires C and D are held in position by a fibre or like disc I.

The plug A is provided with a suitable valve. such as the screw valve J shown screwing into the hole K through which air or gas is introduced into the balloon.

The electric connect-ions between the wires C and D and the circuit wires (not shown) are, in the example shown, "formed as split metal pins L which fit in the tubes E, the

Serial No. 624,976.

ends of the circuit wires being attached to the loops of the pins L and secured to the plug by a piece of string or the like aassing through a hole M (Fig. in the head of the screw valve J, or by any other convenient means.

Fig. 1 shows a modified construction in which the main support for the lamp G consists of a thin metal tube N formed at its upper end as a screw socket contact for the lamp, the tube N being cut away, such as at O, to allow air or gas introduced through the valve to reach the interior of the balloon. The central contact for the lamp consists of a wire D analogous to that in Fig. 1 which may be held in position by a fibre disc if found desirable.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction of the upper part of Fig. 1, in which the fibre disc P is fashioned as the screw socket for the lamp, the wire C passing through the fibre and being formed with a coil or two to receive the lamp while the wire D is formed with an extension part B which enters the fibre disc P.

On a larger scale and where it is desired to illuminate the balloon or the like with different colors such as for signalling purposes, the plug may be provided with supports for two or more lamps of the same or different colors, in the latter case each color having a separate electric conductor.

It will be understood that any convenient and suitable type and construction of valve may be used in place of that shown. Also, although in the drawings the device is de signed to take a screw contact type of lamp for which any other construction of holder may be used instead of the coiled wire socket holder shown, it is obvious that the upper ends of the supports may be designed or provided with means to take the ordinary bayonet fitting type of lamp. Any other type of lamp holder may be employed.

1 claim,

1. In combination with a toy balloon having the usual mouth piece adapted to receive an inflation device, a combined inflation and illuminating unit adapted to be inserted through and seated in said mouth in frictional holding engagement therein and comprising, a plug having an inflation passage therethrough, and a valve controlling said passage, electric conductors seated in said plug and extending to the interior of said balloon and a lamp bulb car ied by said conductors and lighted by a current there through.

2. In combination with a toy balloon l1aving the usual mouth piece adapted to receive an inflation device, a combined inflation and illuminating unit adapted to be inserted through and seated in said mouth in frictional holding engagement therein and comprising, a plug having an inflation passage therothrough and a valve controlling said passage, a pair of electrical conductors carried by said plug one of said conductors being embedded in the material of said plug, and one of said conductors being formed with a bulb receiving coil, and an electric bulb adapted to be mounted in said coil and in contact with said other conductor.

3. In combination with a toy balloon having the usual mouth adapted to receive an inflation device, a combined inflation and illuminating unit adapted to be inserted through and seated in said mouth in frictional holding engagement therein and comprising, a plug having an inflation passage therethrough and a valve controlling said passage, an electrical conductor carried by said plug and having its free end formed to provide a bulb receiving coil, a second electrical conductor carried by said plug and having its free end formed With a contact terminal, means for maintaining said couduetors in operative spaced relation, and a light bulb directly received by said bulb receiving coil and in contact with said contact terminal.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HAROLD FALKNER ANNS. 

